I recall numerous people sending me their snug sweatsuit fits in the weeks when COVID originally launched in early 2020. I, on the other hand, chose a less practical approach to dressing.
I ordered a gorgeous (and utterly unneeded) tank top in the hopes of improving my spirits, as I was feeling more unsexy than ever. I recall thinking that the shirred, body-hugging Dion Lee tank top would be the perfect going-out garment if the bars were open when I tried it on. I knew it was a waste of money, but I didn't care because it made me feel instantaneously hot. Even sexy. It was well worth it to regain my self-confidence.
Clothing has only made me feel this sexy a couple times in my life. Men's clothing is frequently divided into two types: conservative and stuffy, and blatantly fun and quirky. Men's clothing that is both sexy and form-fitting is extremely difficult to come by! When I'm out shopping with my pals, I'll notice them navigating the women's area, which is full of vampy, lace-y blouses and flirty, slinky skirts. I'm left with weird patterned button-up shirts, dull T-shirts, or business-casual apparel in the men's area. This isn't really a come-hither situation.
Please excuse me, but when it comes to fashion in 2022, I want to be hot. She's not put-together, sophisticated, or professional—just she's hot. We've all spent far too much time cooped up in our houses to not look our best when we leave.
And, luckily for me, menswear designers are starting to catch on: there are a few labels in the menswear market that are pioneering a new movement, designing clothes that showcase the body through sensual forms. (As an added bonus, many of them also adopt a more gender-neutral approach to design, which is a welcome change.) Of course, this look has been around for a long time, particularly on stage (musicians David Bowie and Mick Jagger have been obvious pioneers of the sultry man aesthetic).
However, the appearance is gaining appeal this year, possibly as a follow-up to the comfort dressing trend of the previous two years. Saint Laurent, GmbH, and Palomo Spain all pushed the argument for skin on their spring 2022 runways being in—and these tight, slinky, sensual men's items are also more accessible than ever before.
Utierre, based in Los Angeles, is one such label I've recently been intrigued to. I'm intrigued to the strappy wrap tops in their new collection, which may be emphasized with detachable mesh sleeves. The combo screams for a night out on the town. (It's also worth noting that they sell some rather stylish thongs.) Ludovic de Sain Sernin has mastered the sultry, night-out look as well. Their cropped knit cardigans and translucent tanks, as well as those by K.ngsley and Fang, both of whom create with queer bodies in mind, are gloriously revealing.
With so many hot men's alternatives on the market right now, I've liked watching certain celebs embrace the more seductive appearance as well. On the red carpet, Lil Nas X wore a strappy white top, Harry Styles wore a jacket without a shirt underneath, and Troye Sivan wore an Altu dress with side cut-outs. It's nice to see a more sensual approach to dressing making its way into the mainstream.
So please accept my apologies in advance for displaying more skin than you'd like the next time you see me. But please understand that I am not clothing for you; rather, I am dressing for how I want to feel on the inside. Being hot is a state of mind, not a set of clothes.
